Super-Agers 68% Less Likely to Carry Alzheimer's Gene

Imagine being 85 with the memory and thinking skills of someone in their 50s. Scientists just figured out why a lucky few get to live this reality.

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center studied 18,080 older adults and found something remarkable. Super-agers, people who reach their 80s with razor-sharp minds, carry dramatically different genes than their peers.

The numbers tell an inspiring story. Compared to people over 80 with Alzheimer's disease, super-agers were 68% less likely to carry the APOE-ε4 gene, which increases dementia risk. Even when compared to healthy people the same age, super-agers had 19% lower rates of this problematic gene.

But here's where it gets even better. Super-agers weren't just missing the bad genes—they had more of the good ones.

These exceptional agers were 28% more likely than healthy peers to carry APOE-ε2, a protective gene that shields against cognitive decline. When compared to people with Alzheimer's, super-agers were twice as likely to have this genetic guardian.

"This was our most striking finding," said Leslie Gaynor, assistant professor who co-led the study. The research suggests super-agers represent a particularly exceptional group with reduced genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease.

This was the largest study ever to examine super-agers, and the first to connect the protective APOE-ε2 gene with staying mentally sharp into old age. The findings build on 2020 research showing that super-ager brains actually look structurally different too.

Why This Inspires

For years, we've been told that healthy aging depends entirely on lifestyle choices like diet, exercise, and staying mentally active. Those things absolutely matter, but this research offers something more: hope that science can identify the exact biological mechanisms keeping some minds young.

Understanding these protective genes opens doors. Researchers can now study how APOE-ε2 shields the brain, potentially leading to treatments that could give everyone the same protection super-agers were born with.

The study also validates what many families have observed: some people really do age differently, and it's not just about willpower or good habits.

While we can't choose our genes, knowing which ones promote healthy aging helps scientists target the right biological pathways for future therapies that could help everyone stay sharper, longer.